Mobile agent point-of-sale (POS)

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for conducting transactions and financial transfers utilizing a mobile device communicatively coupled with a mobile communications network and executing a mobile point-of-sale application. According to some embodiments, the mobile point-of-sale application is adapted to conduct money transfer transactions by communicating transaction information through the mobile communications network to a money transfer provider system that processes the money transfer and communicates receipt information to the mobile point-of-sale application. Additionally, according to some embodiments, an account associated with an agent of the money transfer provider can be used in money transfer transactions conducted by the mobile point-of-sale application.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for registering an agent with a provider system to allow the agent to facilitate money transfer transactions between a sender and a receiver with the provider system, wherein the agent is separate and distinct from the sender and the receiver, and wherein the system comprises:
 a transaction provider system comprising a processor and a non-transitory machine readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the transaction provider system to:
 receive user information from a mobile point-of-sale application executing on a mobile device, wherein the user information includes biometric information representing biometric data associated with a user and collected with a biometric sensor of the mobile device; 
 determine, based at least in part on the biometric information received from the mobile point-of-sale application, whether to allow the user to become an agent of the transaction provider system and enter transaction information for a money transfer transaction between a sender and a receiver, wherein the agent is separate and distinct from the sender and the receiver; 
 transmit to the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device a personal identification number assigned by the transaction provider system to the mobile device; 
 receive from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device a unique identifier associated with the mobile point-of-sale application running on the mobile device, wherein the unique identifier is generated by the mobile point-of-sale application running on the mobile device based at least in part on the personal identification number assigned by the transaction provider system; 
 store data registering the agent in a database of the transaction provider system, in response to a determination that the user is allowed to become the agent of the transaction provider system; 
 receive, after registering the agent in the transaction provider system, transaction information for a requested money transfer transaction between the sender and the receiver, from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device; 
 analyze, at the transaction provider system, the transaction information for the requested transaction received from the mobile point-of-sale application; 
 determine, based on the analysis of the transaction information by the transaction provider system, that photo identification is required for one or more parties of the requested transaction; 
 transmit a request for photo identification for the one or more parties, to the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device; 
 receive image data from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device, the image data including the photo identification for the one or more parties of the requested transaction; 
 determine whether to process the requested money transfer transaction between the sender and the receiver, based at least in part on the transaction information received from the mobile point-of-sale application on the mobile device, and based on a verification of the image data including the photo identification for the one or more parties of the requested transaction; 
 cause the requested money transfer transaction to be initiated based at least in part on an affirmative determination to process the requested money transfer transaction; and 
 cause an account associated with the unique identifier to be credited or debited based at least in part on the transaction information. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 communications between the transaction provider system and the mobile point-of-sale application occur via a mobile communications network. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the biometric information comprises:
 a photograph. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein determining whether to process the money transfer transaction between the sender and the receiver based at least in part on the transaction information comprises:
 verifying an identity of the agent of the transaction provider system using the photograph. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the transaction provider system communicates receipt information to the mobile point-of-sale application. 
 
     
     
       6. A method for registering an agent with a transaction provider system to allow the agent to facilitate money transfer transactions between a sender and a receiver with the provider system, wherein the agent is separate and distinct from the sender and the receiver, comprising:
 receiving, with a transaction provider system, user information acquired and transmitted by a mobile point-of-sale application executing on a mobile device, wherein the user information includes biometric information representing biometric data associated with a user and collected with a biometric sensor of the mobile device; 
 determining, with the transaction provider system, based at least in part on the biometric information received from the mobile point-of-sale application, whether to allow the user to become an agent of the transaction provider system and to enter transaction information for a money transfer transaction between a sender and a receiver, wherein the agent is separate and distinct from the sender and the receiver; 
 transmitting, by the transaction provider system, a personal identification number to the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device, wherein the personal identification number is assigned by the transaction provider system to the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device; 
 receiving, by the transaction provider system, from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device a unique identifier associated with the mobile point-of-sale application running on the mobile device, wherein the unique identifier is generated by the mobile point-of-sale application running on the mobile device based at least in part on the personal identification number assigned by the transaction provider system; 
 registering the agent with and in the transaction provider system, in response to a determination that the user is allowed to become the agent of the transaction provider system; 
 providing, from the transaction provider system to the mobile point-of-sale application on the mobile device, real-time training to the agent; 
 receiving, with the transaction provider system, after registering the agent in the transaction provider system, transaction information for a requested money transfer transaction between the sender and the receiver, from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device; 
 analyzing, by the transaction provider system, the transaction information for the requested transaction received from the mobile point-of-sale application; 
 determining, based on the analysis of the transaction information by the transaction provider system, that photo identification is required for one or more parties of the requested transaction; 
 transmitting, from the transaction provider system, a request for photo identification for the one or more parties, to the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device; 
 receiving, at the transaction provider system, image data from the mobile point-of-sale application, the image data including the photo identification for the one or more parties of the requested transaction; 
 determining, with the transaction provider system, whether to process the requested money transfer transaction between the sender and the receiver, based at least in part on the transaction information received from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device, and based on a verification of the image data including the photo identification for the one or more parties of the requested transaction, and based on determining that the agent has completed the real-time training previously provided to the mobile point-of-sale application on the mobile device; and 
 causing, with the transaction provider system, the requested money transfer transaction to be initiated based at least in part on an affirmative determination to process the requested money transfer transaction. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 communications between the transaction provider system and the mobile point-of-sale application occur via a mobile communications network. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 communicating, with the transaction provider system, receipt information to the mobile point-of-sale application. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 the transaction provider system increasing or decreasing a monetary value corresponding to an account associated with the agent of the transaction provider system. 
 
     
     
       10. A non-transitory machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon for registering an agent with a transaction provider system to allow the agent to facilitate money transfer transactions between a sender and a receiver with the transaction provider system, wherein the agent is separate and distinct from the sender and the receiver, the instructions executable by one or more processors for at least:
 receiving user information acquired by a mobile point-of-sale application executing on a mobile device, wherein the user information includes biometric information representing biometric data associated with a user and collected with a biometric sensor of the mobile device; 
 determining, based at least in part on biometric information received from the mobile point-of-sale application, whether to allow the user to become an agent of the transaction provider system and to enter transaction information for a money transfer transaction between a sender and a receiver, wherein the agent is separate and distinct from the sender and the receiver; 
 transmitting a personal identification number to the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device, wherein the personal identification number is assigned by the transaction provider system to the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device; 
 receiving from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device a unique identifier associated with the mobile point-of-sale application running on the mobile device, wherein the unique identifier is generated by the mobile point-of-sale application running on the mobile device based at least in part on the personal identification number assigned by the transaction provider system; 
 in response to a determination that the user is allowed to become the agent of the transaction provider system, registering the agent in the transaction provider system; 
 based on the determination that the user is allowed to become the agent of the transaction provider system, sending an instruction to the mobile point-of-sale application allowing completion of installation thereof on the mobile device; 
 receiving transaction information for a requested money transfer transaction between the sender and the receiver from the mobile point-of-sale application, after registering the agent in the transaction provider system, wherein the transaction information includes associated fees and currency exchange information for a money transfer transaction, the fees and currency exchange information being calculated by the mobile application via retrieval of real-time fee information and currency exchange information from a remote third party source; 
 analyzing the transaction information for the requested transaction received from the mobile point-of-sale application; 
 determining, based on the analysis of the transaction information by the transaction provider system, that photo identification is required for one or more parties of the requested transaction; 
 transmitting, from the transaction provider system, a request for photo identification for the one or more parties, to the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device; 
 receiving, at the transaction provider system, image data from the mobile point-of-sale application, the image data including the photo identification for the one or more parties of the requested transaction; 
 determining whether to process the requested money transfer transaction between the sender and the receiver, based at least in part on the transaction information received from the mobile point-of-sale application executing on the mobile device, and based on a verification of the image data including the photo identification for the one or more parties of the requested transaction; and 
 causing the requested money transfer transaction to be initiated based at least in part on an affirmative determination to process the requested money transfer transaction. 
 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the transaction information comprises:
 a photograph of the user or a consumer. 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein determining whether to process the money transfer transaction based at least in part on the transaction information comprises:
 verifying an identity of either or both a consumer or an agent of the transaction provider system using the photograph. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further executable for at least:
 communicating receipt information to the mobile point-of-sale application. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further executable for at least:
 increasing or decreasing a monetary value corresponding to an account associated with an agent of the transaction provider system.